EASY WAYS TO
QUAKE SAFE
YOUR HOME
FIX. FASTEN. DON’T FORGET.
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After an earthquake your
home could be a mess
and have no water supply.
Someone might be injured.
However, there are simple
things you can do around
your home to help prevent
damage and injury from
earthquakes.
This guide shows you
easy ways to quake
safe your home.
Fix. Fasten. Don’t forget.
01
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Ornaments & small objects
What
you’ll need
Plastic putties eg. Blu Tack or quake wax • Non-slip mats
All are available at hardware or homeware stores.
Ensure both the bottom of the
object and the surface it sits
on are clean.
Roll pieces of putty into balls
of equal size – the amount
you need to use depends on
the size, shape and weight of
the object.
One bigger piece may be
enough for small objects;
others may require three
or four smaller pieces.
Push on to bottom of object.
Press the item down firmly,
and gently twist back and forth
a few times to get it to grip.
To remove the object, hold at
the base and top and twist
slightly while gently pulling
from its position.
For squat, heavy objects
Use non-slip mats.
Simply cut a piece of mat to fit under the object. Depending on the type of base, the mat can sometimes
be slightly smaller than the object, allowing the mat to be hidden.
Store heavy and/or fragile objects on lower shelves or in low, closed cabinets.
ORNAMENTS & SMALL OBJECTS | FIX. FASTEN. DON’T FORGET.
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Pictures and mirrors
What you’ll need
Picture hooks • A hammer • Some nails
Available at your local hardware store.
For light pictures
Push hooks closed after hanging pictures or mirrors. Single-nail
conventional picture hooks are fine for light pictures as long as
the nail has been hammered into something solid like a wall stud.
For heavier pictures & mirrors
Anything a little heavier will need a two or three-nail picture hook, or possibly
several hooks, and very heavy pictures or mirrors may need something even
stronger. Also, don’t forget to use strong cord, not light string.
Once you have nailed the hook into place, hang the picture and then pull it
out so you can get your hand behind it and push the hook closed.
If the hook is hard to close, squeezing filler material
into the gap will help to retain the cord in place.
Alternative: The hook shown below has a zig-zag to
prevent the cord from jumping out of the hook.
03
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Tall furniture
What you’ll need
Standard 65mm steel brackets • 63mm 12
gauge screws • 15-25mm 8 gauge screws • A drill
Available at your local hardware store.
Start by marking on the wall
where the top of the furniture
comes to and then move it away
from the wall. Find where the
studs are in the wall (by tapping
lightly) and then use 63mm
12 gauge screws to screw
the brackets into place before
moving the furniture back.
Screw the other arm of the
brackets down onto the
furniture with 8 gauge screws
of 15-25mm length.
If you would like the brackets
hidden as much as possible,
attach them as two upside
down “Ls”.
TALL FURNITURE | FIX. FASTEN. DON’T FORGET.
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Hot water cylinders
What you’ll need
Hot water cylinder restraint kit • A hammer • Nails • Wooden blocks • Glue • A drill
Alternative: Perforated strapping (25mm x 1mm thick) • Screw hooks • Turnbuckle
Available at your local hardware store.
Screw or nail the timber blocks
to the floor or shelving (make
sure shelf is fastened).
Follow manufacturer’s
instructions if you have bought
a restraint kit.
Attach a 6mm turnbuckle
to one hook and the end
of the strap.
Cut timber blocks to size so
they fit snugly between the
top of the cylinder and walls
and glue them into place.
Ensure blocks are against
wall framing.
Otherwise screw two 8mm
screw hooks into studs on
either side at the same level
as the blocks.
Cut the strap to the length
required, connect it to the
other hook and use turnbuckle
to make it tight.
Emergency water supply
Shut water supply off at the
“toby” i.e. the tap or valve on
the water supply pipe to the
house, to stop dirty water
(from any broken street pipes)
flowing back into your house.
If any pipeline between the
toby and your house is broken
you should clamp the pipe or
improvise in some way.
Turn off the electricity before
you start draining. Open the
drain valve at the bottom of
the cylinder and collect from
the drainage point outside and
near the cylinder.
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Appliances
What you’ll need
Restraint straps • Non-slip mats • Rubber caps • Velcro pads
Available from your local hardware store or specialist safety stores.
Small appliances
For smaller, squat appliances like microwaves where most of the weight is
low down – secure with non-slip mats.
Rubber “cups” that sit under the feet of an appliance or self-adhesive Velcro
pads can also be effective. Both are available from many appliance and
hardware stores.
Built-in appliances
Built-in appliances and items in wall units can be secured with wood battens or
aluminium moulding or trim screwed to the edge of shelves to create a lip of at
least 15mm in height.
Many appliances such as microwaves can be fastened with proprietary restraint
straps available from specialist safety or hardware stores.
Televisions
Modern TVs are often tall and narrow, and can be prone to toppling forward.
If the TV is on a base or stand, it can be fastened using any number of strap
restraints or similar products, which are available from specialist safety or
hardware stores.
Using a non-slip rubber mat or rubber feet can also prevent movement but
these should be used in conjunction with strap restraints.
APPLIANCES | FIX. FASTEN. DON’T FORGET.
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Bookshelves & latches
What you’ll need
Cord, nylon or curtain wire • Child-proof latches
All items are available at your local hardware store.
Bookshelves
Cord, nylon or curtain wire can be strung in front of books and other items on a
shelf to lessen the chances of them falling or flying off in a shake.
Cupboard doors & drawers
Use positive-catching latches on cupboard doors and drawers. Make sure these
latches aren’t magnetic, as they will not hold during a quake. Child-proof latches
with a mechanical action are best.
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Log burners, gas bottles & flexible fittings
What you’ll need
Angle brackets or anchored metal tray • Bolts • A Drill
Available from your local hardware store.
Free standing burners
Secure your wood burners, standing stoves and gas appliances with bolts
and/or angle brackets, or an anchored metal tray with a 12mm or greater lip.
Installing flexible fittings
Have flexible gas and plumbing fittings installed by a tradesperson.
Flexible fittings between your house and the ground are particularly
beneficial in an earthquake, as they allow for the extra movement and
prevent breaks and leakages.
Gas bottles
Make sure you know where your emergency cut-off switch and taps for gas,
power and water are.
The chain should be near the top if the bottom of the bottle is restrained from
sliding on the ground, otherwise it should sit at about mid-height.
LOG BURNERS, GAS BOTTLES & FLEXIBLE FITTINGS | FIX. FASTEN. DON’T FORGET.
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Chimneys, header tanks & foundations
What you’ll need
Brackets • Nails (Z or gang are the most appropriate) • Plywood sheets
Chimneys
The portion of the chimney that sits above the roofline can be particularly
hazardous. This can be braced, or even removed and replaced with a lighter
metal flue in conjunction with the installation of a solid fuel heater.
The first thing you should do is contact a licenced builder.
Foundations
Check that your house is well-fixed to its foundations and that
it is properly braced. If not, you can:
• Wire, bolt or bracket bearers to piles – a wide range of
bracket options are available from most hardware stores;
• Nail strong plywood sheets to the inside of
the framing in the sub-floor space;
• Nail strong plywood sheets to brace and clad outside piles.
If extensions have been made to the property, it pays to ensure the foundations
are well-tied together to avoid the potential for the two parts to separate or
grind together during a strong quake.
Advice from a licensed building practitioner is recommended before starting the work.
Header tanks
Strap your header tank to the ceiling framing. Securely nail wooden blocks at
four locations around the perimeter of the tray and fit wooden blocks between
the perimeter of the tray and the tank.
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CHIMNEYS, HEADER TANKS & FOUNDATIONS | FIX. FASTEN. DON’T FORGET.
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For more information go to:
www.eqc.govt.nz
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